§ Mr. N. McLEANasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether men. working in departments in Government dockyards who enlisted voluntarily are not entitled to resume their former employment while men who were compelled to join later are given the right of re-employment when demobilised; whether Admiralty instructions have been issued to that effect; and whether he is prepared to issue instructions that all dockyard employés who have served during the War shall have the same right to re-enter or resume his former employment?
§ Mr. LONGThere is no such differentiation, as would seem to be suggested in the hon. Member's question, between those former employés who enlisted voluntarily and those who later were obliged to join the military forces; and no instructions to such effect have been issued. The Admiralty have given no undertaking in respect of the future civil employment of men who entered their service after the outbreak of war and were subsequently released to join the military forces. Men who were regularly employed in the Royal dockyards before the War, and were released for military service, have, in general, whilst so serving, been retained on the yard books, and have been paid their civil pay in addition to military pay, less the pay of a private; and, on being demobilised, these men resume their civil employment in the dockyards.